AKG GHS 1 Camouflage Review

AKG isn’t a name we’ve seen in our lab before, but the company is a big hitter when it comes to top-end audio gear such as professional-grade microphones. As such we were expecting good sound from the GHS 1 headset.

The body comprises a simple plastic headband that connects the two supra-aural, closed-back ear cups. Our review sample came in a winter camouflage colour scheme, but the GHS 1 is also available in black and white.

The headband looks insubstantial but it's surprisingly solid, and the inner fabric headband makes for a comfortable fit. The connection between the headband and the ear cups is also fully articulated, so you can fold the cups into the headband for easy storage or carrying.

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As we previously mentioned, the ear cups are supra-aural, which means they sit on your ears rather than around them. This isn’t automatically bad, but some people find the pressure that supra-aural ear cups exert on their ears uncomfortable, and would prefer the cup to sit around the ear rather than over it.

Moulded into the left ear cup is the GHS 1’s stubby noise-cancelling microphone. However, as this is moulded into the body of the cup, it can’t be moved or adjusted. This is of particular concern, as it isn’t very close to the wearer’s mouth.

This affected the efficiency of the microphone a little, as it struggled to pick up some of our quieter mutterings when testing the headset. This won’t be a problem if you’re screaming at your team mates in Counter-Strike, but it could affect the tender conversations you may have with your significant other over Skype.

Thankfully, the sound quality emanating from the GHS 1’s rather diminutive ear cups was generally excellent, with everything from Beethoven to Brand New sounding detailed and balanced. Mid-tones such as speech and guitars were particularly warm and rich. Bass notes weren’t as punchy as they were on the Creative Tactic Sigma, but they possessed far more detail and elegance.

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This translated into good gaming performance too, with even the manic world of Call of Duty: Black Ops sounding detailed and immersive. Our only gripe is that the maximum volume the GHS 1 was able to output was a little on the weedy side, especially when compared with the bombastic Sigma.

Conclusion

We were very impressed by the detail and warmth of the sound that the GHS 1 output; it added a real edge to watching movies and listening to music. We were less convinced by the position of the microphone, however, and the price is also a little steep, especially when you consider that both the excellent Razer Carcharias and the Creative Tactic Sigma are more than £10 cheaper.

These two competing headsets are also more comfortable for extended use, thanks to their circumaural designs. The GHS 1 is a very promising new entry, but despite its superb audio quality, it fails to hit the top spot.

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